Top feed mechanism for sewing machines



Jan. 24, 1967 J. M. FEIGHERY ETAL 3,299,844

TOP FEED MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed May 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wvazv T'ORS JAMEsM FE/ GHERY ULL/E R (A mo/E BY XIV l7 ATTO NE) Jan. 24, 1967 J. M. FEIGHERY ETAL TOP FEED MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed May a, 1964 Y E w? m w WW? F MR fi m M L L m0 BY W z MKQZ ATTORNEY atent Patented Jan. 24, 1967 3,299,844 TOP FEED MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES James M. Feighery, Dalton, Ga., and Ollie R. Caylor,

McDonald, Tenn, assignors to J. M. Feighery Company, Dalton, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed May 8, 1964, Ser. No. 366,015 6 Claims. (Cl. 112214) This invention relates to a top feed mechanism for sewing machines.

It is conventional, of course, in sewing machines, to provide in the bed of the machine beneath the needle a serrated feed plate, having operating means in the form of a feed shaft, for projecting it forwardly and backwardly in an orbit-like movement to effect the feeding of the material being sewed upon step by step as the needle reciprocates. 'I'his feed mechanism is inadequate for feeding heavy materials past the needle, for example in sewing tape edges on rugs and carpets.

A number of top feed mechanisms have been developed, but such mechanisms from a practical standpoint have been open to some objections. For example, in most commercially available machines, the top feed mechanism is operated by a shaft arranged relatively close to the bed of the sewing machine where it interferes with the free use of the machine. Moreover, prior constructions for the most part are operated from the top main shaft and accordingly are not coordinated and synchronized with the bottom feed dog.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel top feed mechanism wherein the actuating shaft is arranged well above the bed of the sewing machine to leave free substantially all of the space between the arm of the machine and the bed.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism wherein the top feed device is coordinated with and driven from the feed shaft connected to the feed dog so that the top and bottom feed mechanisms are synchronized in their operation and wherein the conventional adjustment of the feed shaft affects both feed mechanisms.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of this character wherein the top feed device is in the form of a grooved or toothed material-engaging roller which is operated step by step with each step of feed movement being of the same length and speed as the feed movement of the conventional feed dog.

A further object is to provide a top feed mechanism wherein the step-by-step top feed roll advance device is housed wholly within the roller and therefore concealed and not exposed to possible damage to itself or to the material being sewed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing FIGURE 1 is a face view of an industrial type sewing machine showing the invention applied, conventional parts of the machine being omitted as being unnecessary;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of portions of the need-1e end of the machine showing the invention applied;

FIGURE 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail section on line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of one end of the top feed roller;

Referring to FIGURE 1, numeral 10 designates a conventional sewing machine having the usual standard 11, arm 12 and head 13. Power is applied to a pulley 14 to drive the conventional main shaft 15 for reciprocating the needle :bar 16 (FIGURE 2) and needle 17. The driving means for the needle bar 16 is conventional and need not be illustrated.

The main shaft 15, through conventional means (not shown) transmits rocking movement to a feed shaft 20 beneath the :bed 21 of the sewing machine, such conventional means having the usual adjustable mechanism for varying the rocking movement of the shaft 20 to vary the length of movement of the bottom feed mechanism operated by the shaft 20, described below.

The feed shaft operates in suitable bearings 22 and 23 integral with the bed 21 of the machine, and at its righthand end, the shaft is narrowed and-turns upwardly to form an arm 25 spaced from an arm 26 formed integral with the shaft 20. Between the arms 25 and 26, and supported on a shaft 27 projecting therethrough, is mounted a collar 28 having a rearwardly projecting plate portion 29 connected to a plate 30 slotted as at 31 for conventionally guiding the plate 30 by means (not shown) driven from the main shaft to the machine. The means engaging in the slot 31 determines the forward path of movement of a feed dog 32 carried by the plate 30 in the upper position of the feed dog, then retracts the feed dog downwardly for its rearward movement beneath material passing through the machine, such operation and the means for carrying it out being conventional in the art.

Adjacent the standard 11, a link 35 (FIGURES l and 3) has its lower end projecting through an opening 36 in the bed 21, and the lower end of this link is pivoted as at 38 to an arm 39 carried by a collar 40 clamped on the shaft 20 as at 41. The lower portion of the link 35 is in the form of a rod threaded at its upper end in a co-axial sleeve 44 and fixed with respect thereto by a jam nut 45. The sleeve 44 has a bearing collar 46 at its upper end, and a pivot pin 47 passes through this collar and through one end of a crank arm 48. The other end of the crank arm 48 is split as at 49 and fits around a rock shaft 50 to which it is clamped as at 51. The shaft 50 is supported in bearings 54 and 55 secured by screws 56 and 57 to the body of the machine respectively adjacent the standard 11 and head 13. It will be obvious that rocking movement of the feed shaft 20 through the link 35 rocks the shaft 50.

Adjacent the head 13, the shaft 50 carries a crank arm 60 which is split at its upper end and clamped on the arm 60 by a screw 61, the split end of the crank 60 being similar to the split end of the crank 48. The crank 60 extends downwardly at an angle as shown in FIGURE 2 and is pivoted at its lower end as at 62 to a link 63. The other end of the link 63 is pivoted as at 64 to the upper end of a crank arm 65 having a split lower end clamped by a screw 66 on a shaft 67 operable for effecting, in a manner to be described, the upper feed roll of the mechanism indicated as a whole by the numeral 68 and shown in detail in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The feed roll 68 comprises a cylindrical body 70 circumferentially grooved as at 71 and transversely grooved as at 72 to provide teeth 73. From FIGUREZ it will be apparent that the material is fed between the feed dog 32 and feed roll 68, and the teeth 73 engage the material to assist in feeding it beneath the needle 17.

The feed roll 68 further includes an end wall 75 and within the body 70 is arranged a block 76 mounted on a sleeve 77 surrounding the shaft 67. The block 76 includes a cylindrical axially extending cage portion 78. The space within the cylindrical extension 78 contains the one-way clutch in the form of conventional sprags 80 having substantially U-shaped leaf springs 81 therebetween. The sprags are maintained in position by a washer 82, and this washer is maintained in position with respect to the sleeve 77 by a snap ring 83 engaging the sleeve 77. The other end of this sleeve carries a snap ring 84 engaging a bearing bushing 85 fixed within the block 76. Since the sleeve 77 is fixed against endwise movement by the snap rings 83 and 84, it will be apparent that the elements 68, 76 and 77 are fixed against relative axial movement.

The sleeve 77 and shaft 67 are fixed against relative rotation by a pin 86 (FIGURE 4), and accordingly it will be apparent that rocking movement of the shaft 67 rocks the sleeve 77. The shaft 67 is journaled in the arms 90 and 91 of a yoke 92, the top portion of which receives the usual presser foot shaft 93 to which it is clamped as at 94 (FIGURE 2). Conventional means includinga handle 94' (FIGURE 1) is employed for lifting the shaft 93 for obvious reasons, when desired.

The arm 91 is wider than the arm 90 to contain a sliding pawl 95, such pawl being slidably mounted in the arm 91 and biased toward the feed -roll 68 by a spring 96 (FIGURE 1). The right-hand end of the feed roll 68 in FIGURE 4 and the end of this roll toward the observer in FIGURE 5 is provided with an annular series of ratchet teeth 97 engageable with the pawl 95 to lock the feed roll 68 against movement in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2.

Operation The stitching elements of the sewing machine operate in a conventional manner, the needle 17 (FIGURE 2) reciprocating vertically and operating in cooperation with a shuttle (not shown) arranged beneath the bed 21. The drive mechanism of the machine rocks the feed shaft 20 conventionally, and the arms 25 and 26 (FIGURES 1 and 2) and pin 27 transmit a horizontal component of movement back and forth to the plate 30 to similarly move the lower feed dog 32. As stated, conventional means (not shown) imparts a vertical component of movement to the feed dog 32 so that the latter engages mate-rial being stitched in the forward movement thereof and is retracted downwardly for rearward movement, preparatory to the next feeding operation. The feed dog 32 and the elements connected thereto are conventional and form per se no part of the invention eXcept in combination with the top feed mechanism. It will be understood that conventional means (not shown) is employed for adjusting the extent of rocking movement of the shaft 20 and hence of the limits of horizontal movement of the feed dog 32.

Rocking of the feed shaft 20, through the arm 39, link 35 and arm 48 (FIGURE 3), rocks the shaft 50. The oscillating movement of the shaft 50 is transmitted through the arm 60 (FIGURES 1 and 2) to the link 63 to rock the arm 65 and similarly operate the shaft 67. When the arm 65 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 6, the sprags 80 lock the sleeve 77 to the feed roller 68, and accordingly this roller will turn a predetermined distance in a counter-clockwise direction, corresponding to such movement of the arm 65. This movement takes place with the pawl 95 escaping over the teeth 97. Reverse rocking movement of the shaft 50 obviously turns the shaft 67 in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 2. During such movement, the sprags 80 release the feed roller 68 from the sleeve 77 and the pawl 95 prevents reverse movement of the feed roller 68. The speed and extent of linear movement of the feed roller 68, when turning in a counter-clockwise direction (FIGURE 2), equals the speed and extent of movement of the feed dog 32. Thus the two feed devices operate in conjunction with each other to feed material past the needle 17. M

Since the source of motion for the feed roll 68 is the rock shaft 20, it follows that any adjustment of the latter to change the horizontal limits of movement of the feed dog 32 will wrrespondingly change the extent of linear turning movement of the teeth 73 of the feed roller 68, and no adjustment of the two feed devices with respect to each other is ever necessary. It also will be apparent that the present mechanism permits the shaft 50 to be arranged at a high point relative to the bed 21 so as not to interfere in any way with the sewing operation. The one-way clutch device for effecting a step-by-step turning movement of the roller 68 is housed wholly within such roller and accordingly is not exposed to possible damage to itself and cannot damage the operator or the material being sewed.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be made as do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A top feed mechanism for a sewing machine having .a bed, a reciprocating needle, a feed dog in said bed, and means for operating said feed dog in a back and forth motion, a top feed mechanism comprising a serrated roller above said feed dog in advance of the needle and extending transversely across and beyond the line of stitching and between which roller and said feed dog material to be sewed is adapted to be moved, means for supporting said roller for turning movement including a horizontal supporting shaft, 2. bearing above said supporting shaft having depending arms rotatably supporting opposite ends of such shaft, a crank arm connected to said shaft, a horizontal operating shaft mounted substantially above said bed, a crank arm carried by said operating shaft, a link connecting said crank arms, means for rocking said operating shaft to transmit similar movement through said link to said first-named crank arm and said supporting shaft, a one-way clutch connected between said supporting shaft and said roller for effecting turning movement thereof step by step upon rocking movement of said first-named crank arm in one direction, and means carried by said bearing for preventing reverse rotation of said feed roller upon rocking movement of said first-named crank arm in the opposite direction.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said one- Way clutch is completely housed wholly within said feed roller and comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced sprags having radially outward mechanical connection with said feed roller and radially inward mechanical connection with said shaft.

3. A top feed mechanism for a sewing machine having a bed, a reciprocating needle, a feed dog in said bed, and a horizontal rock shaft beneath said bed mechanically connected to said feed dog to effect back and forth movement thereof, a single serrated ,top feed roller arranged above said feed dog in advance of the needle and extending transversely across and beyond the line of stitching and between which feed dog and said roller material to be sewed is movable, a horizontal supporting shaft for said feed roller, a bearing above said supporting shaft having depending arms rotatably supporting opposite ends of such shaft, a first crank arm carried by said supporting shaft, a horizontal operating shaft arranged substantially above said bed, a second crank arm carried by said operating shaft, a link connecting said first and second crank arms, a third crank arm carried by said operating shaft adjacent the end thereof remote from said feed roller, a fourth crank arm carried by said rock shaft, a link connecting said third and fourth crank arms whereby rocking movement of said rock shaft is transmitted to said operating shaft and through said first and second crank arms to said supporting shaft, a one-way clutch mechanically connected between said supporting shaft and said feed roller whereby rocking movement of said supporting shaft by said first crank arm in one direction turns said feed roller step by step, and means carried by said bearing for preventing reverse rotation of said feed roller.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3 wherein said one-way clutch is completely housed in said feed roller between the latter and said supporting shaft.

5. In a sewing machine having a bed, a reciprocating needle, and a feed dog in said bed, in combination with a rock shaft connected to said feed dog to move the latter back and forth, a top feed mechanism comprising a horizontal serrated roller above said feed dog in advance of the needle and extending transversely across and beyond the line of stitching and between which roller and said feed dog material tobe sewed is adapted to be moved, means including a horizontal supporting shaft for supporting said roller, a horizontal operating shaft arranged substantially above said bed, means connected between said rock shaft and said operating shaft for transmitting rocking movement from the former to the latter, means for transmitting rocking movement of said operating shaft to said roller to effect rocking movement thereof in one direction, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said roller.

6. In a sewing machine having a bed, a reciprocating needle, and a feed dog in said bed, in combination with a rock shaft connected to said feed dog to move the latter back and forth, a top feed mechanism comprising a horizontal serrated roller above said feed dog in advance of the needle and extending transversely across and beyond the line of stitching and between which roller and said feed dog material to be sewed is adapted to be moved, means including a horizontal supporting shaft for supporting said roller, a first crank carried by said supporting shaft, a horizontal operating shaft arranged substantially above said bed, a second crank carried by said operating shaft, a link connecting said cranks, means for transmitting rocking movement of said rock shaft to said supporting shaft to effect continuous back and forth rocking thereof, said link transmitting similar movement to said supporting shaft, means for preventing rotation of said roller in one direction, and a one-way clutch between said supporting shaft and said roller whereby the latter is rocked in the opposite direction during rocking movement of said supporting shaft in the same direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 443,888 12/1890 Adams 112-214 1,788,317 1/ 1931 Morier et al. 2,197,255 4/1940 Kucera 112-214 2,325,643 8/1943 Weis 112214 2,407,907 9/ 1946 Scott 112214 2,544,549 3/1951 Beck et al. 1l2214 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD J. SCANLAN, JR., Examiner. 

5. IN A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A BED, A RECIPROCATING NEEDLE, AND A FEED DOG IN SAID BED, IN COMBINATION WITH A ROCK SHAFT CONNECTED TO SAID FEED DOG TO MOVE THE LATTER BACK AND FORTH, A TOP FEED MECHANISM COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL SERRATED ROLLER ABOVE SAID FEED DOG IN ADVANCE OF THE NEEDLE AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS AND BEYOND THE LINE OF STITCHING AND BETWEEN WHICH ROLLER AND SAID FEED DOG MATERIAL TO BE SEWED IS ADAPTED TO BE MOVED, MEANS INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL SUPPORTING SHAFT FOR SUPPORTING SAID ROLLER, A HORIZONTAL OPERATING SHAFT ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE SAID BED, MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID 